Although the last couple of years have seen Norway's leading elite melodic black metal act Dimmu Borgir release a mini live E.P. "Alive In Torment" [2001] and the C.D./D.V.D. set "World Misanthropy" [2002], it's the studio follow up to 2001's "Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia" that fans have been really waiting for with high anticipation.

Once again they have entered into Sweden's Studio Fredman for "Death Cult Armageddon", and what a monument result the band have accomplished. Dimmu Borgir has boldly upped the ante in every aspect of the genre with their seventh, and most powerful studio release to date, with "Allegiance" the first number to make a stand. In typical Dimmu Borgir fashion, the opener wreaks devastation from the opening bars, with the mix of traditional black metal and subtle orchestration.

It's only within the second track 'Progenies Of The Great Apocalypse' that you soon notice that the extremities have been pushed notably further to polar extremes with the grand orchestration playing the dominant epic nihilistic lead role. Soaring melodies [Vortex's operatic clean vocals] mix with demonic lows [Shagrath's distorted harsh sounding vocals] in this towering effort that almost sound soundtrack like. Guest vocalist Abbath [from the recently split up Immortal] adds his distinctive touch to a few lines at the beginning of the song, while also making his return in the experimental sounding 'Blood Hunger Doctrine'.

From here on in, the remaining epics making up the rest of "Death Cult Armageddon" move from the huge symphonic sounding monoliths such as the Norwegian sung 'Vredesbyrd' and 'Eradication Instincts Defined', while counteracting this is the pure black intensity of 'Allahelgens Drd I Helveds Rike', 'Lepers Amongst Us', the almighty 'Cataclysm Children' and the crushing album highlight of 'Heavenly Perverse'.

Both 'For The World To Dictate Our Death' and 'Unorthodox Manifesto' however bridge the gaps between both worlds with a stunning mix of black metal and orchestration, only serving to highlight the dynamics within the music.

Just like the accompanying artwork, Dimmu Borgir have moved forward once again into something new and unchartered, making "Death Cult Armageddon" Dimmu Borgir's most diverse and experimental album to date.

Along with the songs and stunning musicianship, the crisp production sound amplifies the dramatic nature of the album, making Dimmu Borgir all the more frightening while summoning the oncoming Armageddon upon the world of the weak and the frightened. Many so called purists will no doubt claim that the band have sold out, and complain that they've left their true metal roots behind, but my belief is the total opposite. Dimmu Borgir has simply pushing black metal that one step further beyond the predictable without losing focus on the scene's original ideals and beliefs.

I am not a great fan of black metal, especially not fairly well-produced "raw"/"brutal"/"intense" black metal. I listen to some atmospheric stuff, but that's all. I am not a great fan of symphonic metal either, in my opinion not many bands succeed to create symphonic metal with enough quality. Rhapsody of Fire is one band that manages to do it, and Therion as well even if their symphonic arrangements are more in the background in some way. But with this album, the band Dimmu Borgir has managed to create my favourite symphonic metal album, and probably also my favourite black metal album ever. It's also definitely my favourite Dimmu Borgir album, and I know a lot of people will disagree here...

It's really not my job to bash Dimmu Borgir on every corner of this forum, but this album was just bad. It barely had any metal feeling, I agree that the sympho parts are great, but they exagerated with it.

I didn't like it at first, but now I think it's pretty good. I can't really listen to it from start to finish though. The symphonic elements are great I really like Shagrath's voice.

RazorOfTheLight - 24.07.2006 at 04:48

I have to say I stopped listening to Dimmu Borgir for quite some time although I must say this is my most favorite release of theirs if I'm in a melodic mood.
I have one question though... What's wrong with the audio quality? It's so quiet and subdued compared to Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia. Did they get cheap knowing they would still make a lot of money anyway? Does anyone know the answer to this enigma?

I have to say I stopped listening to Dimmu Borgir for quite some time although I must say this is my most favorite release of theirs if I'm in a melodic mood.
I have one question though... What's wrong with the audio quality? It's so quiet and subdued compared to Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia. Did they get cheap knowing they would still make a lot of money anyway? Does anyone know the answer to this enigma?

Bands usually screw up like that when they try to overproduce an album. I didn't think it was that quiet though, but it still had worse sound quality than PEM. Do you have a bad copy maybe?

RazorOfTheLight - 25.07.2006 at 02:01

You can tell it's not as loud if you play it after a song of higher quality. Moreover, you can especially tell if you look at the sound scope and you'll soon notice that the sound waves don't nearly jump as high as they would otherwise. Just listen to Puritanical Euphoric M... and you'll notice a difference.

The other casualty to this is Dark Lunacy's newest CD, "The Diarist." I downloaded the CD before I bought it and it was so bad that I cancelled my order. In addition, I downloaded it from a pay site, which guarantees high quality just incase you're wondering.

This was another one of my favorite Dimmu Borgir albums and again it got boring. I don't know what's going on with this band. I mean I like the melodicness of the band it's just AHHH!! It's boring to me, and it pisses me off.

Ah, this album is ok, the older ones are much better, but the thing that gets my attraction on this album is the orchestra. I would give it a 7 or 6. This album was overhyped, theres other releases from that year I'd rather give an 8.5.

Black Serpent - 19.02.2007 at 17:49

This is maybe the best Dimmu Borgir ever! The Symphonic parts really gives it a feel of Armageddon is around you. It makes you feel powerfull and majestetic^^

I liked the review. Actually, this is my favorite Dimmu Borgir album, but the review is fair, and so the rating is.

Written by Guest on 25.07.2006 at 02:01

You can tell it's not as loud if you play it after a song of higher quality. Moreover, you can especially tell if you look at the sound scope and you'll soon notice that the sound waves don't nearly jump as high as they would otherwise.

It also happens to my copy. If I listen to "Progenies of the great apocalypse" with my copy in my computer and then in the Myspace page, it sounds much more louder in the Myspace.

They made the orchestra play what the guitarists should have played. They made the guitarists play what the orchestra should have played. If they reversed who did what I would have liked this a ton more!

I will say that the opening track's lyrics should be rewritten to open a batman movie. It would have worked because as soon as I heard that I just though "BAAATMAAAAN!" in gutteral vocals.